NHL Game Night: 1-11-14 Lightning at Flyers

Anders Lindback allowed 3 goals on 38 shots for the victory. This was one of the few games this season where you can say that Anders was a reason the Lightning won the game. He had the cape on in the First Period and made several key saves that made the difference in this game. Steve Mason allowed 2 softies and Lindback outplayed him. Therefore, Lightning win.

For the Lightning, this game probably helped make up for the point or two they deserved but didn't get out of the Capitals game. Coach Cooper's going to (rightfully) be upset by a poor defensive effort this afternoon against the Flyers coming off of some pretty strong defensive efforts in recent games, including the Capitals game. Too many odd man rushes. Too many breakaways. And, they really struggled to get out of their zone cleanly for the last 50 minutes or so of the game. But, they got a fortunate bounce on Killorn's First Period goal and a couple of softies out of Steve Mason and they managed to kill off a key 5-on-3 in the First Period, and that helped pull them through. With the victory, the Lightning pull into a tie with Boston for the top spot in the Atlantic Division with the Bruins set to play the Sharks later. At the halfway point of this 10 game segment the Lightning have 6 points, so they're on pace to get the 12 points you want, at a minimum, out of every 10 game set. So, certainly, this was a big win.

It came at a price, though, with Sami Salo leaving the game with an apparent foot injury and Hedman leaving the game with an apparent head injury. Hopefully neither will miss significant time, and the Lightning should get Ben Bishop back next week.

Now, onto more pressing business: the Philadelphia Flyers took this afternoon to remind us all what a colossal pack of dirtbags they are from the players to the broadcasters all the way to the peanut vendors. Yeah, that's name calling, but it's also the truth. Class and the Philadelphia Flyers have never shared the same address, and it showed again in today's game. CSN Philly's play-by-play man Steve Coates should really take a look in the mirror after today's broadcast. Seriously. He started off by accusing Gudas of being a dirty hitter in the First Period, which is interesting considering Gudas has never been suspended for a hit in the NHL and the closest he came to a suspension was for slamming a stick on the boards at the opposing team's bench. Fast forward to the Third Period with the game getting out of hand. The Flyers, as is their M.O., responded to adversity with their usual display of poor sportsmanship taking runs and cheap shots at Lightning players, including Tyler Johnson taking a pretty significant slash in the Flyers end. Coates had the gaul of accusing Johnson of embellishing to draw a call even as it became very clear Johnson was hurt as he was protecting his arm skating slowly off the ice. Moments later, Scott Hartnell (who has had suspensions for dirty play in the NHL, not to mention being accused of biting an opposing player) was called for a dirty hit to the head of Victor Hedman. Hedman's had some concussion issues over the course of his career and looked absolutely livid on his way off the ice to go get medical attention. How did Coates and CSN Philly react? They had the stones to run a package that highlighted Hartnell's hitting as one of the bright spots of the game and praised him for his physical play. The hypocrisy is so thick you'd think he'd have to take a bath after narrating that montage. When you consider he's on a broadcast team with Keith Jones who used his spot as a studio host on NBCSN earlier this year to brand the Lightning "the weak sisters of the Atlantic Division" (how's that one working out for you, Keith?) I think you can see why the Lightning and its fans might have a beef with Philly. That's to say nothing of the clown show a couple of years back when Philly stopped playing in protest of the 1-3-1 because they had no earthly clue how to break it (because their coach's incompetence was somehow the Lightning's fault). You add it all up, and you've got a team that combines a special mix of undeserved arrogance with the complete absence of respect for the game and that makes them really easy to dislike (and that's before you even mention their degenerate fans). Fortunately, when my head hits the pillow at night, I know I don't support a team that hasn't won a Stanley Cup since the Watergate era, and therefore I don't feel like I have to overcompensate by trying to be king of the jerks to every other team's fans. Oh by the way, Flyers fans, before you start your peacock strut about how tough your team (allegedly) is and the typical garbage about "hockey in Florida isn't relevant," maybe you should instead focus on the fact your franchise hasn't had a decent goaltender since Ron Hextall was a young man. Ponder that for a moment, if you can. It certainly cost your club 2 points this afternoon.

Radko Gudas had a helper and was +4 with 2 penalty minutes, 5 hits, and 2 blocked shots in 18:53. It should be noted that none of those 5 hits resulted in a penalty for an illegal hit to the head, unlike the allegedly wonderful play of pure-as-the-driven-snow Scott Hartnell. Color me shocked, because to hear Steve Coates tell it, Radko Gudas clubs baby seals before and after every morning skate and has a pre-meal ritual on off days of stealing the handbags of elderly women so he can pay for his drink with their grocery money. In any event, tonight was Gudas' 40th NHL game of the season, which means he'll likely graduate from prospect status on Bolt Prospects in Monday's game against Columbus.

J. P. Cote had 3 hits and 1 blocked shot in 10:48. Lindback bailed him out on a transition breakaway in the First Period that exposed his lack of make-up speed.

J.T. Brown had 3 shots and 1 hit in 12:49 in his return to the lineup from a shoulder injury.

Andrej Sustr had 1 shot, 1 hit, and 1 blocked shot in 15:50. After Gudas, either Sustr or Panik will probably be the next to graduate on the site.

Nikita Kucherov had 2 shots and 1 blocked shot in 16:21. He was a dangerous with a partial breakaway on the first shift of the game in the First Period and a free-and-clear breakaway in the Third Period. If he potted even half of the breakaways he gets himself, he'd be threatening to enter the Calder Trophy discussion.